Isaiah Chapter 19

From The Open Bible Project

19:1 The burden of Egypt: "Behold, Yahweh rides on a swift cloud, and comes to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence; and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.

• (a) Read (Isaiah 13:7).
• (b) Because the Egyptians trusted in the defence of their country, in the multitude of their idols and in the valiantness of their men the Lord shows that he will come over all their munitions in a swift cloud, and that their idols will tremble at his coming and that men’s hearts will faint.

19:2 I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they will fight everyone against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

• (c) As he caused the Ammonites, Moabites and Idumeans to kill one another, when they came to destroy the Church of God, (2 Chronicles 20:22; Isaiah 49:26).

19:3 The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst. I will destroy its counsel. They will seek the idols, the charmers, those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards.

• (d) Meaning, their policy and wisdom.

19:4 I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel lord. A fierce king will rule over them," says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.

19:5 The waters will fail from the sea, and the river will be wasted and become dry.

• (e) He shows that the sea and their great river Nile by which they thought themselves most sure, would not be able to defend them but that he would send the Assyrians among them, that would keep them under as slaves.

19:6 The rivers will become foul. The streams of Egypt will be diminished and dried up. The reeds and flags will wither away.

• (f) For the Nile ran into the sea by seven streams, as though they were many rivers.

19:7 The meadows by the Nile, by the brink of the Nile, and all the sown fields of the Nile, will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.

• (g) The Hebrew word is mouth, by which they mean the spring out of which the water gushes as out of a mouth.

19:8 The fishermen will lament, and all those who fish in the Nile will mourn, and those who spread nets on the waters will languish.

• (h) The Scriptures describe the destruction of a country by the taking away of the conveniences of it, as by vines, flesh, fish and such other things by which countries are enriched.

19:9 Moreover those who work in combed flax, and those who weave white cloth, will be confounded.

19:10 The pillars will be broken in pieces. All those who work for hire will be grieved in soul.

19:11 The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish. The counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh has become stupid. How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?"

• (i) Called also Tanes, a famous city on the Nile.
• (k) He notes the flatterers of Pharaoh: who persuaded the king that he was wise and noble, and that his house was ancient and so he flatters himself, saying I am wise.

19:12 Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you now; and let them know what Yahweh of Armies has purposed concerning Egypt.

19:13 The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Memphis are deceived. They have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the cornerstone of her tribes.

• (l) Or Memphis, Alexandria, and now called the great Cairo.
• (m) The principal upholders of it are the main cause of their destruction.

19:14 Yahweh has mixed a spirit of perverseness in the midst of her; and they have caused Egypt to go astray in all of its works, like a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

• (n) For the spirit of wisdom he has made them drunken and giddy with the spirit of error.

19:15 Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head or tail, palm branch or rush, may do.

• (o) Neither the great or the small, the strong or the weak.

19:16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Yahweh of Armies, which he shakes over them.

19:17 The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom mention is made of it will be afraid, because of the plans of Yahweh of Armies, which he determines against it.

• (p) Considering that through their opportunity the Jews did not make God their defence but put their trust in them, and were therefore now punished, they will fear least the same light on them.

19:18 In that day, there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan, and swear to Yahweh of Armies. One will be called "The city of destruction."

• (q) Will make one confession of faith with the people of God, by the speech of Canaan, meaning the language in which God was then served.
• (r) Will renounce their superstitions and protest to serve God correctly.
• (s) Meaning of six cities, five would serve God, and the sixth would remain in their wickedness: and so there would be but one lost.

19:19 In that day, there will be an altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh at its border.

• (t) There will be evident signs and tokens, that God’s religion is there: which manner of speech is taken of the patriarchs and ancient time, when God has not as yet appointed the place, and full manner how he would be worshipped.

19:20 It will be for a sign and for a witness to Yahweh of Armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and he will send them a savior and a defender, and he will deliver them.

• (u) This declares that this prophecy would be accomplished in the time of Christ.

19:21 Yahweh will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. Yes, they will worship with sacrifice and offering, and will vow a vow to Yahweh, and will perform it.

• (x) By these ceremonies he comprehends the spiritual service under Christ.

19:22 Yahweh will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to Yahweh, and he will be entreated by them, and will heal them.

19:23 In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

• (y) By these two nations, which were then chief enemies of the Church, he shows that the Gentiles and the Jews would be joined together in one faith and religion, and would all be one fold under Christ their shepherd.

19:24 In that day, Israel will be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth;

19:25 because Yahweh of Armies has blessed them, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance."